To Marry For Money
by NekoKayiaResaKeilor
Summary: Once upon a time ago in a far away kingdom a Prince and a Prince would attempt to find their happily ever after.


Winter watched the window that he knew the Prince of Russia would be in. It was his room, and he hadn't seen the younger for quite awhile, but he would probably get a chance now, returning from one of many wars that had finally been won. Looking away from the room, he walked to the castle.

Ivan had to run down three flights of stairs to get to the corridor near the front of the entryway. But just barely. He knew his father did not like to be kept waiting and appreciated his son awaiting his arrival, but it was not always easy to present yourself to a king that did not announce when he chose to return. The blonde had just barely enough time to smooth his hair and make sure he was not sweating before the large double doors opened before the King and General of their lands, his own father. Zima Winter.

Winter walked into the hallway, going up to his son looking Ivan up and down. He had grown since the beginning of the war, "Hello Ivan." He said finally.

Ivan bent in a low bow to the intimidating man eyes carefully lowered as he smiled meekly in greeting. "Hello father, it is wonderful that you have returned. How was your journey?"

Nodding in approval, Winter started walking away, "It was fine, but the war is finally over, and we won. Of course." He had never lost a battle in his time of being King.

"I knew you would My Lord." Ivan replied, working to sound properly impressed, "Is there anything you are in need of?"

"Yes actually, there is something I needed to talk to you about...yes, I think it is about time. Come." He said, walking into the large sitting room to sit down on one of the chairs.

Ivan followed his father to the room, taking a chair slightly lower than his father and finally raising his eyes, leaving behind a bit of protocol, as they weren't surrounded by the servants. "What is it sir?"

"You are, how old now?"

"Sixteen years father."

Winter nodded, "Good, that is what I thought. Now, you are at the proper age for getting married."

Ivan paused, biting his lip to hold his tongue before nodding slowly. "Um. Are you sure father, I am still quite young and-"

Shaking his head, the King spoke, "No, you are about the right age. Most women get married around now, and so you will too. We definitely need it after the war; we are short on money and food. So you need to get married to someone of a rich kingdom."

Ivan laughed nervously shaking his head at his father, "Most women marry men at his age father and there are hardly any females old enough to marry in the surrounding kingdoms that could provide a sizeable dowry..."

"Ivan, listen better, I taught you to pay better attention than that. I said our kingdom does not have any money. Weddings take a lot of money and paying tribute to a future wife and her family is out of the question. Of course this will also mean improvement for our foreign affairs as well which is also important, but almost nothing if we sink any further into economic depression." Winter paused, looking at Ivan, "You are not going to marry a woman. You will be married to a man, and you will be their wife."

The young prince was not eating, or drinking anything, but somehow he managed to choke. Perhaps a ghost had decided to take a squeeze at his throat or the air had leadened where it was in his windpipe, but for a moment he found himself choking and unable to breath. "A- a man? But father, I am a man, I'm not fit to marry a male. I cannot produce offspring, or do- Do the things that are expected of a wife!"

Oh good lord, what if he was expected to... to provide pleasure to whatever male it was his father had in mind! He might die. Or better yet, hang himself to prevent such disgrace.

Winter's eyes narrowed, "You will do whatever you can or they want. I have always taught you to respect authority. This time it will simply be somebody who you will marry him and be a good wife to. Do you understand?" The older man stressed dangerously.

Ivan's eyes fled to the floor out of habit long trained into him and he nodded, throwing out one more desperate attempt to sway the man, knowing he would not have another chance. "But father, you trained me to fight as well. To be strong and carry on your name. How am I to do this in the grasp of... of some other man? They will certainly care for little of the things you taught me of the warrior's way. If a- a man takes me it will be for-" Ivan's words caught in his throat and he had to find a different way to finish the sentence. "They will want me for other things."

"It is true I taught you to be a warrior." Winter nodded in agreement, "But times have changed things. It is final, you will be married to somebody and listen to them." He said firmly, "I am not pleased about my son having to marry another man either. Now use what I taught you to be polite and obedient to one higher than you. And also be strong and marry them to carry out our name so our kingdom does not fall. No more complaining. You may go. You will see your suitor in a few days time."

The younger man bent his head in submission, kneeling to kiss the toe of his fathers boot. "Yes m'lord. If this is what you wish then so it shall be."

He would be sent to some random kingdom to become another man's whore. And he would do it willingly, knowing that the consequences for disobeying would be severe and then would end in him being made to obey his father's orders anyway.

"Good. You can go now, and I don't expect to see you again until tomorrow at dinner. Think of it as a generously small punishment for trying to disagree with me. You seem to have started to forget your place with my absence Ivan, you would do well to remember it."

"Yes sire." Ivan said, a warm knot filling his chest. He would not have to spend the evening with the cold man! He carefully sculpted his features into a look of dismay. "As it pleases you."

"You are dismissed then." Winter said, waving his son off in permission to leave his presence.

The prince left the room meekly; waiting until he was far enough away that Winter could not see him before breaking into a run. Finally free.

69

Alfred took a bit of the food he had taken from the kitchens, swinging his legs gently on the tree branch and looking at the sky. It was a nice day, but he wish there was something he could do. It was really a boring day and there was absolutely nothing to do but stare at the sky. But of course, he imagined flying through them like awesome eagles or hawks, sky bombing down on unsuspecting victims. Then it was more fun somehow.

Arthur walked underneath the lively prince, not noticing him as he searched the grounds for him. "Alfred! Alfred you get down here at once!" The king's chancellor was turning red, muttering under his breath as he looked back and forth. It was not his job to take care of the blonde even if they had grown up together. "Your father is waiting for you!"

Rolling his eyes, he looked down, seeing that Arthur hadn't seen him yet. Smirking as he got an idea, he grabbed a pinecone off of the tree, aiming at the moving target and firing, aiming right at the crown of yellow hair.

Arthur fell forward, just barely managing to catch himself as he fell face first into the dirt, the large pinecone bouncing off his head. His huge eyebrows creased in his rage and he spun around to furiously survey the area behind him, still not looking up into the trees as he searched for Alfred. "Show yourself now you little cretin, the King requests your presence and so help me lord, if you do that again I will report that you were the one who let the pigs loose to stampede in the lavender garden!"

Well he had been the one to do that. Still, Alfred didn't care, it was so worth it. He covered his mouth to try and hold in the fit of laughter, body shaking in the quite giggling. He grabbed another pinecone, taking aim again and planning on continuing the sport until the other found his location. He launched the makeshift weapon done on the unsuspecting target.

The pine cone hit the angry man right between the two caterpillars he called eyebrows, knocking him to his bottom where he was splayed awkwardly on the ground before he crawled to his feet, eyes finally locking on his prey. "Alfred, you get down here right this instant!"

"No! You can't make me." Alfred said, sticking his tongue out.

"Alright, then your father and I will chose your future wife for you and you can live out the rest of your days with the plumpest gold digger I can find."

"Um...did I say no? What I really meant was, I'll be down as soon as possible!" Oh right, that was today.

Arthur smirked victoriously as he nodded, "That is right, it's about time you learn that you should start paying better attention to what I say Prince Alfred. When you are king I cannot advise you properly if you do not pay the proper attention."

Alfred moved his lips in mockery, rolling his eyes as he started climbing down the tree, not caring about the sap that made his hands sticky.

Arthur continued to scold him, not aware that his words weren't being given any heed as he waited. Taking Alfred's hand when he was safely on the ground and practically dragging him toward the castle.

"Hey! I can walk on my own okay!" Alfred said, pulling his hand away and walking along towards his home, "I don't need you babying me."

"Your behavior today states otherwise." The haughty man replied with his nose in the air as though he knew more than the prince. Not caring that in other countries he might be killed for such an attitude toward royalty. This was just Alfred.

"My attitude is totally fine, it's yours that needs fixin', you're always so pissed off."

"That is untrue Alfred." Arthur replied with regal pompadour. "You are simply an aggravating person to be around."

"Not true, tons of people love me. Not so much you. So it goes to show, you're just you."

"Just shut up and go find your father."

"That I will do! See you Artie McGrumpy!" Alfred said, waving as he ran off to find his father.


End file.
